REVIEW MEDICINAL POT POLICIES: VICTORIA MAYOR

People Needing Marijuana For Pain Management Can't Get Access To
Federal Program, He Says In Letter To Health Canada

Victoria's mayor has thrown his support behind local medicinal pot
users and called on Health Canada to do an immediate review of how it
provides medical marijuana to Canadians.

A presentation to council by local compassion clubs last month
prompted Alan Lowe to draft a letter to federal Health Minister Tony
Clement criticizing public access to the Federal Marijuana Medical
Access Regulation program.

"Many of these citizens rely on marijuana for the purpose of pain
management and have expressed an inability to access the ...
program," he wrote in the March 20 letter. Without proper access,
"many Canadians will continue to suffer."

"Victoria City Council therefore respectfully requests an immediate
review of current policies and regulations to determine where
improvements can be made to ensure a better quality of life for those
Canadians in need of medical assistance."

With the letter, Lowe wades into the controversy surrounding the
government's much-criticized medical marijuana program. Critics say
the pot, which is grown in a mine in Manitoba, is of poor quality.
Because it is only one strain of cannabis, users can build up
tolerance to the product. It is also too weak, too expensive and too
difficult to access, say critics.